Canopy fixture



v. G.B.THOMAS cANoPY FXTURE Filed May 14, 1925 INVENTOR ofgeffmmw ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

. 11611111.13` STA-rss Parsnrol-rlca GEORGE E. THOMAS, OE BRIDGEIJORT, CONNECTICUnAssIGNOR To TIIEBRYANT ELEC'- TRIC COMPANY, vOE BRIEGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OE CONNECTICUT.

CANOPY FIXTURE.

Application flied May 14, 1925. seriai No. 30,187. i

My invention relates to canopy fixtures,

tions. The object ofpmylinvention is to provide an installation in; which the switch.

structure and mounting are of such character that the switclrmay be housed within `the canopywitliout displacement or deforfV mation of the latter.,y The mechanism of the:

The invention is illustratedV in the accom,

- canopy.`

2'() panying drawings,- in .which-1 tion of a canopy fixture showing the switch housed in one position within the canopy;r

Fig. 21s a similar viewshowing the switch housed in another position in the. canopy ;v

Fig. 3 isa Ysection on theline `3-.-3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is asection vron the line 4-4,-Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a 'perspective-Of another mount- It' lighting fixture installation is' illustrated vas 'typical of .the invention. -An installation of this character usually comprises an outlet box 6` `through the vside opening V2' at whichjthe wire main 8- enters'. "Secured to the base ofthe "box is'the usual fixture stud 9 with hickey 10 and fixture pipe 11,

through which the wires 12' and 13 areled from the lamp sockets 4(notshown) tothe -junction box. The latter is provided with jects through the plaster 16 of the ceiling or wall, and permits access to the interior V'of the box for making the necessary connec` tions to the wires 17 and -18fof the cable 8. `,Surrounding the. fixture pipe Y.11 and sef cured thereto by a set screw, '1 9` is acanopy 20 of conventional type,A which houses-in the junction box connections and' Vimparts' a finand particularly to'r canopy `switch yinstalla-y Fi'g. .1 is a vertical section through porthe usual cover 14, the neck 15 of which pro? ish'tothe wall'end"Ofthefixture' TheV breaking capacity for usein'a 'lighting installation.v l Moreover, switches of ordinary type `are not equipped with suitablemeans for securing the same within a canopy. It has consequently been customary to control the lighting rcircuit ,either by a `wall switch' remote fromfthe fixture, or by al switchof f ordinary construction mounted on the lexterior of the'canopy, or nearby the latter.,

the general appear-` commodated within the canopy, while at the same time its mechanism is .such that it can safely control thelighting current. :I also j` associate with the switch suitable means for securing it' in `fixed position within the In the form hereillustrated,rthe body7 of the'present switch, which has a generally o void Yshape in plan, andris of slight thicknessm side elevation, comprises a pair of ber. The switch mechanism mounted with-V a insulating buttons4 21 and 22, recessed on their' meeting faces to aordaswitch cham- 1 in'this chamber may be of any suitable sort which will safely control the lighting cir-` cuit, for example that shown in the patent to Renholdt, No. 1,400,376, December 13,

1921, whichneed not'be described except to thus electrically;.interposing the switch inY the lighting circuit. After the pig-tails have Y been connected to the switch terminals-(not shown) o and the switch mechanism assembled between the buttons, the latter are permanently secured togetherby suitable screw bolts 35the. headsy and nutsV of which are waxed in to prevent'readyacces's thereto.

' vThe button 21 is provided with a'centrarl boss 36 which'may be'piercedat 37 to permit access to the usual'adjustable abutment 38 the ratchet springfnot slijwiif: .the

area surrounding the boss 36 I secure a plurality oi tapped rivets` (not shown)` tor a purpose about to be described.

lVhile it possible to arrange the switch within the canop)v without supporting it otherwise than by permitting it to Wedge itsell between the tixture pipe 1l and the Wall ot the canopy. this does not attord af WO1-lemanlike installation. ln order to secure the switch properl)Y Within thecanopy.A ,l provide bracket means of any suitable sortr adapted to be attached to theswitch on the one hand. and to the [ixture on the other hand; tohold the switch in fixed position within the canopy` and to relieve Athe latterii'itfany strains incident to the operation ot these-'itch mechanism. In the :term shown in Fig. l; the bracket lll comprises a piece of strap metal'torlter at one end lil to straddle the boss and aperturedto re` ceire screws which pats 'through holes in the forked end oit the strapt and enter the tnpped'rivets to `clamp the bracket to the switch; Atits opposite end the bracket is otsetat 45 to afford a securing arm pierced te fit `over the lhub 46 ot the stud 95 against which it is clamped'by,the screwing-up of the hickey 10; t

Thena bracket ot this type is used, the switch is held With its nose `end projecting downward into the `narrower `arca ot the annular chamber atli'orded `between the pipe 11` and theieanopy 20. To `accommodate the switch to this restricted area, the nose oi' the buttonf 22 (which is `faced outward toward the mmopy wall)` is beveled at 4T to afford ample clearancebetween the canopj.7 Wall andthe switch at this `pointVIH For the same purpose the button 21 (which lies against the pipe 11) is preferably groored at 4S (Fig. Ll) at itsnose end to permit the switch to hun; the pipe at this point and thus further increase the clearance betweenl the canopy Wall and the switchbody.

In Figs. 2 and 4 Ihave shown a. modified construction of the bracket,` adapted to clamp upon theiixture pipe 11. One element 449 of the bracket is integral with the forlc etlsecured tol the' switch, While the cooperating;r member 50 ot the clamp embraces thepipe, the clamping screws 5l passu ing-through the oilset ends ofthe bracket members, and serving to bold the switchin horizontal position. The beveled nose of button 22 non' permits this portionof the switch body to `enter the restricted" area-` aft'nrded between the base of the canopy` and the .ceilingr or Wall 16;

The switch actuating;r member may `be of aniY suitable type.` there itis ot the pull-l chaiu. type illustrated. I preferably arrange betweeuthebuttons 21' and 22 atlthe nose ends of the latten a double tunnel-shaped bushing; t2.` which is `clampedin position on the assembly of the buttons. f

To permit the chain to make a free exit 't1-min the canopy.` the latter punched through either at its lower end, as in Fig. l, or adjacent its base.y as in Fig. 2, and a guide bushing' `5? secured tluirein.` .'I`ln1ainsertion ol this bushing;r is Facilitfflted.i'lit islorinod in two parte which are assembled with the canopy by instorting one part in the hole `punched in the canopy, and screwing the other parttlrereon 'from the opposite tace ot the canopiv wall. The bushing' is self-sustained in imsition by its flared ends.

l'n Fig. 5 still another iformoi"securing1 bracket illustrateffl which closely Vap` preaches that town in Figs. l and 4: `As in the latter construction the bracket comprises a pair ot' arms 4i) and 50. the latter independent oi the? former 'andclamped around the pipe ll by the drauhup screivs 51! The portion el) ot the clamp isintegral with the bodiY section 54, which in this in sance is not crled as in the construction previously described. but ot plate-like 1construction and `attached to `the lower tacelot1 the button inthe same manner as that previously descriln'fu'l- It is centrally recessed to accommodate the boss 36fso thatL tree access to the adjusting member `38 for` the switclispriug mechanism is atforded lith this construction theswitch may be; locatedl closer to the conduit 1I' than is possible in the constructionehown in the Fig. 1;. andit may also be located nearer: to the lowenend of `the canopy 20,v` thus e'tl'ectinen an economy1 in `the length of `the pull chain 28. The construction is otherwisesimilar to-that above described. i

It will be recognized that Whether mount-` edi ini one position or the other, or in some Way other than that ilnlicated7 the switch andiits mounting are of suchconstruction and contourthatit` is readily accommodated: within the canopy toene side of its axis, betweenV the pipe 11 and the canopy` Wall,l andi afords an installation ofgreatly im-` proved appearancei as Well as of sound Workmanlike; electricalconstruction, adapted to standard canopy contours without alteration;- ol the. latten` Various modifications in detail `will readf, i

ilyioccurlto those skilled in the art, Which-do. not@ depart from Whatiliclaimi asfmy inve/na` tioln L claim?d i 1. An electriclightingfixture comprising. an` outlet box, a conduit suspended there: from,- a canopythrough which'tbe conduit passes, in combination with a switch haring a` support-ing bracket .emeans for securing the same on .the conduit with: the switch located between the canopy wall andicondniti` and switch operating meansl passing;` through the canopy. i

2. An electric lighting fixture comprising a 1wfreconduit, a canopy` through which the conduit passes, a switch body having a narrow nose, a flexible switch operating member emerging from saidnose, and bracket means attached to a flat face of the switch body and having a portion` projecting from said face and adapted to engage the conduit to support the switch betweenthe Canopy wall and conduit with the nose of the switch in an area of restrictedV dimensions,said flexible operating member passing through the canopy.

3. An electricvlighting xture comprising a fixture support, a wire conduit carried thereby. a canopy concealing said support, a switch arranged to one side of' said wire conduit withinsaid canopy and having an insulating body, a flexible pull member extending from one end of said body and passing through the canopy for manual operation of the switch mechanism, a supporting bracket directly attached to the switch body and extending therefrom in opposite direction to that of the pull member, and means associated with saidbracket'for rigidly securing the switch body in position without imposing load on the canopy.

4. An electricv fixture comprising a wire conduit, means for supporting the same in cluding a member apertured to admit lead wires to the conduit, in combination with a switch compri-sing a relatively shallow insulating body of reduced dimensions at one end, a Vflexible switch operating member emerging from said end of the switch body, pig-tail connections emerging from the 0pposite end of said body at one face thereof, and a supporting bracket secured to the opposite face of said switch Vbody and projecting therefrom in a direction opposite the flexiblepull member and adapted at its free end to support the switch to one side of the conduit, together with a canopy secured to the conduit and housing the fixture support and switch, said flexible switch-operating member passing through the canopy. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE B. THOMAS. 

